Boruto fans oversimplify Sarada's role, and it is why her latest outburst is misconstrued

Modified Jan 04, 2025 01:30 GMT

Boruto fans usually don't get Sarada's role (Image via Shueisha).

Boruto fans have recently felt conflicted regarding Sarada Uchiha's role in the story, to the point of some simply calling her "a love interest for the protagonist". While two main characters having feelings for each other is a classic trope, a lot of people feel that Sasuke and Sakura's daughter should have that and more, which is actually happening in the story but has been misinterpreted.

It has been shown time and time again throughout Boruto that Sarada's goal is to become Hokage and several parts of her journey in the story cement that, albeit through less direct ways. This is emphasized by her caring for the protagonist and the people around her, which is something that author Masashi Kishimoto already showed with Naruto Uzumaki in the original series.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a publication.

Explaining what is Sarada's role in Boruto

Sarada as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Pierrot).

The first thing that needs to be addressed is that Sarada Uchiha having romantic feelings for the protagonist is not a bad thing since characters, both male and female, have gone through this since the beginning of fiction. That being said, while fans have valid expectations of her being more than just a romantic interest because of her ambitions of being Hokage, it has been part of her journey this entire time.

Her concern for Naruto's son throughout the Two Blue Vortex portion of the story has been key to the plot and the latter wouldn't have survived without Sasuke Uchiha's help, who was only there because of Sarada. Therefore, it is thanks to Sarada's humanity and empathy that the protagonist gets a fighting chance against Kawaki, the Shinju, and Code, which is something that a Hokage should do.

Most fans of the original series know that Naruto Uzumaki showed great empathy toward his allies and enemies, which is a significant element of his character and how he was able to create bonds with people all over the world. In that regard, Sarada is following the steps of her idol, even if there is a romantic element in the equation as well.

More details about this

Sarada is heavily connected to the protagonist (Image via Studio Pierrot and Shueisha).

There is also the fact that Sarada's connection with Boruto, especially with the recent Sumire situation in the manga, also explores the notion of loyalty and following one's own values and perceptions. The protagonist is viewed as a killer and a fugitive by the Hidden Leaf Village and she is loyal to her people, but she also believes the character to be innocent, which is an interesting moral conflict.

It is an interesting take on how interpersonal relationships can play a role when it comes to leadership, which, in many ways, mirrors what Naruto had to go through with Sasuke in the original series. The Seventh Hokage kept pushing for the Uchiha to redeem himself when everyone else told him to give up. Now Sarada being factually correct about the protagonist of the sequel shows how her feelings play a significant role in that situation..

Final thoughts

Sarada Uchiha might not always be on the frontlines in the Boruto manga but she is one of the strongest emotional cores of the series, which doesn't get a lot of recognition. Reducing her role to simply "a love interest" is a misunderstanding of how this defines her journey to be the Hokage she aspires to be.

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Edited by Sreerupa Das